A lot of it, surely, has to do with the relentless abuse liberalism takes in the right-wing media, on Fox and afternoon radio, and amid the Townhall.com network of newspaper invective-hurlers. The same dynamic that makes the junior high school kid fear the word “fag” surely has many of us frightened of the word “liberal.” Mike Savage says liberalism is a mental disorder, Sean Hannity equates liberals with terrorists, Ann Coulter says that “liberals love America like O.J. loved Nicole.”

and Reason magazine's Julian Sanchez says:

Quote

Not to put too fine a point on it, but what sort of liberal gives a fuck about the opinions of Savage, Coulter, Hannity, or anyone who regards them as anything other than a punchline? Intelligent conservatives regard these people as embarrassing sideshow freaks; why on earth would anyone on the left take their hostility as anything but a badge of honor?

Keep that in mind next time the UD folks are bragging about being Coulter's chief science advisors.